Visual form discrimination as a multiple-choice visual memory test: Illustrative data

Abstract

Abstract Assessment of visual memory is typically hampered in patients with upper extremity motor impairment because most measures of this skill require a drawing response. To allow motor-free assessment of visual memory, we employed the stimuli from the Visual Form Discrimination Test in a manner similar to that originally suggested by Benton. Following 10-second exposure of each of 16 target plates containing three geometric shapes, subjects selected the identical match from a response plate containing four sets of shapes. Items failed under “memory” conditions were readministered under a “match” format to assist the examiner in determining the possible contribution of visual-perceptual deficit to poor visual memory performance. We provide data (mean = 12.6 correct; SD = 1.90) on 51 control subjects (21 males, 30 females; mean age = 36.6 years; mean education = 14.8 years) and report a significant negative correlation between visual memory performance and age (r = -.43; p < .01) as well as positive corr...